Cordyline plant named ‘Tus019’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Cordyline australis , ‘Tus019’, characterized by its varigated foliage with a blend of dark pinkish brown-green centers and bright pink margins and streaks, and its ascading growth habit.

Botanical classification: Cordyline australis.

Cultivar designation: ‘Tus019’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Jul. 5, 2016, application No. 2016/1708. There havebeen no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effectivefiling date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinaryskill in the art could have been derived from the printed plantbreeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCordyline australis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Tus019’. ‘Tus019’ represents a new cultivar of cabbage tree orcabbage palm and is grown as a foliage plant for landscape and containeruse.

The new cultivar was discovered as a naturally-occuring chimeralmutation by the Inventor in Otrebusy, Poland in January of 2016 ofCordyline australis ‘Red Star’ (not patented) that was growing in acontainer.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by tissueculture using meristemac tissue by the Inventor in Otrebusy, Poland in2016. Asexual propagation by tissue culture has determined that thecharacteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Tus019’ as a new and unique cultivar of Cordyline.

-   -   1. ‘Tus019’ exhibits varigated foliage with a blend of dark        pinkish brown-green centers and bright pink margins and streaks.    -   2. ‘Tus019’ exhibits a cascading growth habit.

The parent plant of ‘Tus019’, ‘Red Star’ differs from ‘Tus019’ in havingreddish brown foliage with no variegation. ‘Tus019’ can be most closelycompared to the Agapanthus cultivars ‘Charlie Boy’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.20,139) and ‘Seipin’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,927). ‘Charlie Boy’ and‘Seipin’ are similar to ‘Tus019’ in foliage variegation. ‘Charlie Boy’differs from ‘Tus019’ in having leaf centers that are more brown incolor and center foliage that is more upright. ‘Seipin’ differs from‘Tus019’ in having leaf centers that is greyed-brown in color and centerfoliage that is more upright.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Cordyline. The photographs weretaken of a 6 month-old plant of ‘Tus019’ as grown in a 3-liter containerin a greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘Tus019’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Tus019’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew Cordyline.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of plants six months in age asgrown in 3-liter containers in a greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands.The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordeterminations are in accordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where generalcolor terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Initially upright with prodominently cascading            foliage.        -   Plant size.—Average of 32.3 cm in height and 72 cm in spread            as a 6 month-old plant as grown in a 3-liter container.        -   Blooming period.—No flower production observed.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 8 to 12.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.        -   Root development.—In tissue culture; an average of 3 weeks            for root initiation and 12 to 16 weeks to produce a fully            rooted young plant.-   Stem description: Main shoot grows from base, no stems present.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf quantity.—47.        -   Leaf base.—Sheathing, sheath length; average of 1.2 cm in            length, 1 cm in width and 157D in color.        -   Leaf apex.—Narrow and long acuminate, outer tip mucronate            (not sharp to the touch).        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, only main vein visible, upper            surface color; a blend of 166A, 177A, N199A to N199B and            200B, axially striped with a blend of 43C, 43D, 52B, 52C,            179B and 179C, lower surface color; between 152A and N199A.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, smooth, unlobed.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate and rosulate.        -   Leaf aspect.—Flat to very slightly carinate and slightly            arching, held at multiple angles.        -   Leaf surface.—Texture upper and lower surface; glabrous and            smooth and non-rugose, upper surface glossy, lower surface            very slightly glossy.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; a blend of 178A, 178B,            183A, 183B and 183C, axially striped between 180D and 181C,            young lower surface; between 183B and 200B, axially striped            180A and 180B, mature upper surface; a blend of 166A, 177A,            N199A, N199B and 200B, axially striped 43C, 43D, 52B, 52C,            179B and 179C, mature lower surface; a blend of 177A and            200C, axially striped 52B, 52C and 180C.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 40.3 cm in length and 1.4 cm in width.        -   Petiole.—None present.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Cordyline plant named‘Tus019’ as herein illustrated and described.